Amusement coaster railway



I 7 M y 31,. H. G. TRAVER' 5 AMUSEMENT COASTER RAiLWA Filed April 11,1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q g iwuemo 3; his WWW ffif'mver May 12, 1931a H.G. TRAVER AMUSEMENT COASTER RAILWAY Filed April 11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet2 1970617/0)" iiuer May 12, 1931 H. G. TRAVER AMUSEMENT COASTER RAILWAYFiled April 11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor- May 12, 1931. H. G.TRAVER I AMUSEMENT COASTER RAILWAY Filed April '11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Jnuewror H 6-. fiaver Lg: 331 712 5 elttzne Patented May 12, 1931HARE-Y G. (SHAVER, F BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANLX AMUSEIEENT COASTERRAILWAY Application filed April 11,

This invention relates to amusement railways commonly termed coasterrailways and embodying a continuous track, whereby cars are propelled upan ascending section of :1 a track structure from a loading station, andthe cars coast from the top of the ascending track section to a stationfor unloading the passengers from the cars, the track being arrangedwith curved sections and dips and o rises, and it is the object of theinvention to provide an improved constructed and arranged supportingstructure for the track constructed of structural steel which hasheretofore been deemed impractical, and to take f; up a minimum amountof space and to provide a novel arrangement of track whereby patronswill be subjected to successive thrills for'the entire period of theride.

v A further object of the, invention is to provide a traveling conveyoror conveyors upon which the cars are adapted to ride and betransportedthereby for a portion of the ride. 4 Pleasure railways of this characterare used in pleasure resorts which are only open during certain periodsof the year and particularly on holidays, and in order that the same maybe reniunerative it is essential that v the cars be kept practically incontinuous operation. The interruption of the operation of the cars ismostly due to the delay in loading and unloading the cars, and it is afurther object of the invention to provide im proved loading andunloading stations embodying a traveling platform and arranging aconveyor relative to the platform to move in synchronism therewith andupon which conveyor the cars are adapted to ride as they 7 enter theunloading and loading stations to be transport-ed thereby for the lengthof the platform of the stations.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings Figure l is aplan view.

1927. Serial No. 182,719.

Figure 2 is a side elevation looking at the bottom of Figure 1. Y

Figure 3 is a plan view of an undulating section of the track.

Figures 4:, 5 and 6 are cross sectional views taken on the lines H, 55and 66 of Figure 3, Figures 5 and 6 looking in the direction of thearrows to show the arrangement of banking of the track at the successivecurves of the track undulations.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement and course ofthe contlnuous track as viewed from the right of Figure 1. R

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on theline 8-8 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 9 is a side elevation, partly broken away, looking at the rightof Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one end portion of a travelingplatform at the loadand unloading stations.

Figure 11 is cross sectional view of the supporting structure to showthe manner of mounting the track thereon in level and banked formation.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a part of a supporting structure andtrack to show the manner of mounting an ascending portion of the trackthereon.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional View on an enlarged scale to show therail structure of the track and the manner of bracing the rails.

Figure lei is a cross sectional view of a rail supporting ledger and arail mounting strip thereon to facilitate the mounting of the trackrails on the ledgers at various inclinations; and

Figure 15 is a perspective view in cross section of the track rails andshowing means in relation thereto to space and prevent spreading of therails.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a supporting structureof structural steel, comprising columns 16 of angle shapein crosssection although other forms may be used, said columns being braced bystrap or angle iron, as shown in a general way at 17, the columns beingsupported upon asuitable base or foundation, such as concrete, withinterposed metallic plates 18.

A continuous track is mounted upon the supporting structure by ledgers19 of steel channel bars, which ledgers extend in a horizontal planetransversely of and are secured at the intermediate portion of thechannel legs to the columns in a straight por ion of the track, butwhere the track goes around curves and loops in order to bank the tracklodgers are superposed to the first-named horizontal ledgers with oneend secured to a column and the other end secured to a ledger below, asshown at 19 in Figure 13.

In order that the rails 20 may be readily formed in the erecting of therailway to conform to dips and rises they are made of laminated boards,in the present instance shown as comprising live superposed boards, thelowermost board being of greater width than those superposed theretowith the opposite longitudinal portions extending beyond the nextadjacent board, as at 20, and the laminated boards superposed to aseries of parallel strips 21 interposet between. the lodgers and thelaminated boards. The treads of the rails comprise metallic strips 22fixed to the topmost boards. The laminated boards are secured together,as by nailing one board to the other, and to facilitate the mounting ofthe rails upon the ledgers wooden strips 24;, to serve as nailing stripsfor the rails, are fixed to the ledgers, by bolts (Figure 14;), thetrack being secured to said by driving nails th rou gh the extendinmarginal portions 20' of the lowermost boards of the rails. Intermediateboards are arranged with. lateral marginal portions to project inwardly,as at 523, to form ledges on the rails for the engagement of the sameabove shoes 24 carried by the car C, as shown in Figure 8, to preventthe car from jumping the track. To facilitate the nailing ot the trackto the nailing strips the upper surfaces of the strips are made ofconvex form in cross section, these faces readily adapting themselves toa track upwardly inclined at one angle, as shown in full lines in Figure14, or at a diil'erent angle, or a down wardly extending angle, as shownin dotted lines in said figure. The inwardly oiiset boards 23 and theboards uppermost thereto are oilset inwardly relative to the outermarginal portions of the lower boards, as shown at To space the outerportion of the rails relative to each other and also prevent spreadingthereof braces are provided. These braces for the banked portion of thetrack comprise strips of angle iron 26 having the ends bent laterally,the braces for the upper rail being secured at one end to the columns 16while the opposite end of each brace is positioned rela tive to theinwardly offset portion of the rail and secured thereto with aninterposed wedge 27. The braces for the lower rail are secured at oneend to a track supporting ledger 19 and at the opposite end secured tothe rails with an interposed wedge 27 similar to the braces for theupper rail. To space and prevent spreading of the rails of a flat trackportion U-shaped members 28 Figure 15) formed T-iron are provided withthe extremities of the legs bent inwardly. These members or braces arealternately arranged with ledgers to extend transversely below the railswith the extending upwardly and engaging the outer sides of the rails,the upper portions of the rails being spaced in a manner similar tospacing the rails in the banked portion of the track by wedges 27. Thebraces 28 are secured to the rail by bolts 29, which may also serve tosecure the laminated boards of the rail together. The columns are spacedapart a distance to permit 01" the mounting of a wall: 30 in parallel.relation to the track, a rail. 31 being mounted on the supportingstructure adjacent to the walk.

The supporting structure is so constructed and arranged as to form asubstantially rectangular structure in plan with an ascending orup-traclr section 32 leading to the highestpoint 83 of the structure anddiagonally of the structure from a low and level track section 34 at thefront end and from a loading station 35 arranged at said end of thestructure. llrn unloading station 36 is also arranged at said low andlevel. tract: section at the side of the structure adjacent to thefront. Cars are propelled up the ascending track structure by a chain 36actuated by a motor M, as is usual i railways of this character, themotor in the present instance being mounted adjacent the upper end ofthe asceii ling track section.

A declirous traclr action leads from the top of the lip-track s ctionarranged in the term of a series of loops, shown at 37 and the loop 38being arranged below the loop The loops are in the form of a spiralevolved about an axis ihtern'lediate the perpendicular and horizontal.The track from the spiral loop leads outside of said loop forming ineffecta further loop 38 to an ascending or rip-track section 39 whichleads to a declivous track section arranged in the form of a series offlat loops or spiral loops evolved about a verti and the track follow pcourse; that is, the outer convolution of the spiral is of greaterdiameter than the next succeeding lower convolution 4:1. The loopedtrack sec tion 37, is at tie end of the supporting structure opposite tothe loading station while the looped track section. 40, 41 is arrangedforwardly thereof and below the uptraclt section 32. The loop sections87, 38 and 40, 41 are so arranged that the convolution of the track insaid loops is in Opposite directions; In the present instance the convolution or direction of the track in loops 3 38 is in anticlockwisedirection while the direction of the track in the loop sections 40, llis in clockwise direction. The track leads from the loop section llto anascending or up-traek section 42 over the uncture of said loop section41 with the loo-p scction to and declines to a level section lea-dingare nd the end of the supporting structure carrying the loop sections37, S8 and opposite to the loading station to a level track section atthe side of the supporting structure to the unloading station 86. inorder that the cars will keep to the track and not be derailed as theypass down the de'olivous sections, and about the loops,thetrac'ksarevariably banked in a direction toward the center or axis of the iloops, this banking varying from a1 proximately ten degrees atthe highpoint of the loops to seventy degrees at the low points and sharp curvesof the loops.

The rails of the track at the level portion 43 are arranged withcorresponding undulations, as shown in plan in Figure 8, within astraight portion of the supporting structure to impart a lateralundulating movement to the cars as they pass over said track section. Toimpart 'a simultaneous side swaying or oscillating movement to the carson the longitudinal aXes thereof the successive outer curved portions ofthe undulations are banked in opposite direction, as shown in Figures 5and 6. That is, the curved track portions 45 of one undulated portionare inclined or banked to theleft, while the successive curved trackportions 46 are inclined or banked in the opposite direction or to theright, as shown in Figure 6, the portions of the track at the junctureof the curved por- 'tions' being level, as shown in Figure e. The

level track section H leading to the unloading station is also arrangedwith lateral un dulations to impart a lateral undulating movement to thecars as they approaeh saidstation, this undulating of the tracks havinga braking efiect upon the cars due to the frietional resistance of therails of thetrack offered to the rotation of the car wheel's, Thisbraking effect, however, will not be impartet to the cars as they passover th undulati track section 43 due to the al ernate banki, g inopposite directions of the track at the successive curved portions. InFigure 2* there is shown in a diagrammatic manner the course of thetrack, the course being indicated by arrows with the characters of thealphabet a toe, inclusive, associated therewith, starting at the loadingstation and terminating at the unloading station.

In order to give the passengers of cars the illusory effect of extendingor prolonging the ride there is interposed in a section of the trackstructure a traveling conveyor or conveyors upon which the cars areadapted to ride from the tracks, the conveyors serving as a brake toretard the movement of the cars and then transport the same at a slowspeed. These conveyors in the present in stance are arranged at theloading and unloading stations, where they also serve to facilitate thequick loading and unloading of the cars and for which purpose theplatforms of the stations are adapted to move in synchronism with themovement of the conveyors. For this purpose the platforms of thestations 35, 36 are in the form of endless conveyors, as shown inFigures 8, 9 and 10. Access is had to the moving platform of the loadingstation by stairs 50 and a fixed platform 51 constituting in sheet acontinuation of the moving platform; Stairs or a ramp 52 lead from themoving platform of the unloading station 36. The moving platforms at theloading and unloading stations and the conveyors for moving the carsrelative to the platforms are of the same construction and arrangementand a description of one will therefore be sufficient. These conveyorsand platforms comprise sproeket chains 58, 54 mounted in spaced relationby a tread portion in the form of slats 55 hired to alternate links ofthe chains, (Figure 10). The tread carrying chains constitute thecenveyorsfor the cars at the stations and pass around sprocket wheels 56fixed to a shaft 57 extending transversely below the tracks with thesprocket wheels engaging between the tracks and the upper stretch of theconveyor positioned below the track rails for the engagement of shoes 58on the cars and to lift the cars to clear the car wheels of the track,as shown in Figure 8-. The inomentum of the cars causes them to ridepartially upon the conveyors and said conveyors traveling at arelatively slow speed will retard the movement of the cars and thentransport the same. It is understood that the conveyors are of theendless type and a sprocket chain carrying shaft is arranged at each endof the loop of the conveyor, the upper stretches of the conveyor chainsbeing guided and supported in angle brackets 59. The moving platforms ofthe loading and unloading stations are arranged in a higher plane thanthe conveyors for the cars, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. Sprocket wheelsfor the chains 60 of said platforms for the loading and unloadingstations are carried by shafts 61 extending in parallel relation to theshafts of the car conveyor sprocket wheels, but are arranged in a higherplane, saidshafts being journaled in brackets 62 fixedupon the lateralextensions of I beams 63 which support the tracks at the loading andunloading stations. To move the platforms and car conveyors insynchronism the one sprocket wheel carrying shaft 57 of the car conveyoris extended, as at 57 in Figure 8, and said shaft extension isoperatively connected with one of the sprocket wheel carrying shafts 61of th platform by a sprocket chain 64: passing around the sprocketwheels on the extended end of shaft 61 and shaft extension 57. Theplatforms and conveyors are driven from a suitable source of power,shown as an electric motor M in Figure 1, operatively connected to anextension of one of the sprocket wheel carrying shafts of the carconveyor at the loading platform, as shown at 65 in Figure 1, by a chaindrive 66, and the motor is operatively connected with the car conveyorand moving platform at the unloading station by extending the shaft ofthe car conveyor through which the sprocket wheel carrying shaft of theplatform is connected with said conveyor, as shown at 67 in Figure 1,and providing a driving gear connection between said shaft extension 67and the shaft extension 65, as shown at 68.

The cars to be used in connection with the ride are of the typedisclosed by my copending application Serial No. 128,341, filed August10, 1926, and issued January 3, 1928, as Patent No. 1,654,670, whereinthe rear or seat carrying portion of the car body 69 is supported bytraction wheels 70, while the forward end of the car has a swivel oruniversal connection 72 with and is supported by the wheel end of aforward car, the forward end of the forward car of a series of carsconnected in a train being provided with traction wheels 71. As suchcars form no part of the present invention detailed description thereofis not deemed necessary.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made inconstruction and arrangement of parts and that portions of the inventionmay be used without others and come within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a coaster amusement railway, a con tinuous track having a loadingand unloading station interposed in a low and level section thereof, anascending section leading from the loading station and a declivoussection leading from the top of the ascencing section arranged insuccessive loops evolved about an axis intermediate the perpendicularand horizontal.

2. A coaster amusement railway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loopsare arranged in the form of a helix with one convolution be low theother and the track banked in a di rection toward the center of thehelix.

3. A coaster railway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the track has anascending portion leading from the declivous section and leading to asecond declivous looped section evolved about a vertical axis.

4. A coaster amusement railway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trackhas an ascending portion leading from the declivous section and leadingto a second declivous looped section arranged in the form of a helixwith the successive convolutions taking a centripetal course.

5. In a coaster amusement railway as claimed in claim 1, a second loopedsection leading from the first looped section, the loops of whichsection are evolved about a vertical axis, the evolution of the track ofone looped section being in clockwise direction and the other section inreverse direction.

6. In a coaster amusement railway as claimed in claim 1, a seconddeclivous looped section leading from the first looped section andarranged in successive loops evolved about a vertical axis, theevolution of the track of the first looped section being inanticlockwise direction and the track of the second looped section inreverse direction, and the track of said looped sections being banked ina direction toward the center of the loops.

7. In an amusement ride, a continuous track, loading and unloadingstations arranged. adjacent a section of the track, said track having anascending section leading from the loading station, a declivous spiralsection evolved about an axis intermediate the perpendicular andhorizontal leading from the top of the ascending section, a fiat spiralsection advancing in reverse direction from the first spiral section,and a section leading to the unloading station arranged with lateralundulations.

8. In a coaster amusement railway, a supporting structure, a continuoustrack, loading and unloading stations arranged at a low and levelsection of the track at one end of the supporting structure, said trackhaving an ascending section leading from the loading station in adirection diagonally of the supporting structure, a declivous spirallooped section at one end of the structure leading from the top of theascending track section the loops of which track section are evolvedabout an axis intermediate the perpendicular and horizontal, a secondspiral looped section arranged intermediate the ends of the structureand leading from an ascending track section intermediate the loopedsections, the second looped section being evolved about a vertical axis,and a section leading from said second looped section about the firstlooped section to the unloading station and having a portion laterallyundulated with the outer portions of the track at the curves of theundulation banked in opposite directions.

9. In a coaster amusement railway, a continuous track having a loadingand unloading station interposed in a low and level section thereof, anascending section leading from the loading station and to a declivoussection, and a circular section evolved about a vertical axis leadingfrom said declivous section.

10. In a coaster amusement railway, a continuous track having a loadingand unloading station interposed in a low and level section thereof, anascending section leading from the loading station, a declivous sectionleading from said ascending section, an ascendin section leading fromthe latter declivous section and leading to a looped section evolvedabout a vertical axis and arranged substantially in a horizontal plane.

Signed at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State ofPennsylvania this 8th day of April, 1927.

HARRY G. TRAVER.

